Warm Chicken Caprese Spinach Salad

Difficulty: SUPER EASY and FAST
Servings: 4

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 471

Protein: 44g

Carbohydrates: 41g (all clean); Fiber: 10g!
Monosaturated Fat 8g; Saturated Fat 4g;
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g




About This Recipe

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This warm entree salad is an Italian taste treat--flavored with tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar.  It's not only high in protein and low in calories and fat, it packs 10 whopping grams of dietary fiber.  Moreover, it has no starch, so it's a perfect quick and easy supper for anyone who is insulin resistant or diabetic.  Best of all, the taste is fantastic!

Ingredients

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• 4 Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
• Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) divided
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Baskets Red Grape Tomatoes (or 1 Basket Red and 1 Basket Yellow)
• 1 (6 oz) Bag Baby Spinach Leaves
• 1 (6 oz) Can Medium Ripe Black Olives (halved)
• 1 (15.5 oz) Can Great Northern Beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
• 2 (1 oz) Packages Fresh Basil (minced)
• 1/2 Cup Minced Italian Parsley
• 4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon each Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded or grated)

Directions

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1. Sprinkle Montreal Chicken seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts.
   
   
2. Add 1 Tablespoon EVOO to a medium saute pan set over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and saute about 10 minutes, turning once, until internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil.
   
   
3. In the same pan, add the second tablespoon EVOO and the pressed garlic, stir until aromatic. Add the Tomatoes, Beans, Black Olives, and salt and pepper. Saute 4-5 minutes and add the Balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and stir in minced basil and parsley.
   
   
4. Divide spinach leaves among 4 dinner plates.
   
   
5. Slice chicken breasts on the bias and top each spinach bed with 1/4 of the chicken.
   
   
6. Ladle the hot tomato/balsamic mixture over the chicken and garnish generously with Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed Matzoh Ball Soup--Best this side of New Jersey

Difficulty:  Moderate
Servings:  12
Nutrition Information
Coming soon.

Here it is. . .As I promised, a tribute to the Kosher body builders--My stuffed matzoh ball soup.  Enjoy!



Ingredients

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• 1 Box (2 packets) Matzoh Ball Mix (I like Manischewitz) Get it Delivered Right to your Door from Amazon:  MANISCHEWITZ Matzo Ball Mix, 5-Ounce Boxes
  
• 12 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Medium Carrots Sliced on the Bias (optional)
• 2 Stalks Celery Sliced on the Bias (optional)
• 4 Green Onions Finely Minced and a few sprigs Parsley Minced (for garnish)

For Stuffing

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• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Celery
• 1 Large Clove Garlic (pressed)
• 1/3 Cup Minced Fresh Parsley
• 3/4 Cup Diced Cooked Chicken
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/4 teaspoon Dried Rubbed Sage
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon Freshly Grated Black Pepper

Directions

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1. Mix BOTH PACKETS of the Matzoh Ball Mix according to package directions and refrigerate overnight.
   
2. Saute garlic, onion and celery in oil until softened (3-4 mins).
   
3. Into a food processor fitted with the knife blade, process sauteed mixture along with remaining stuffing ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse paste.
   
4. Working with oiled or wet hands, form matzoh mixture into 12 balls.  You can make them half the size for a more elegeant presentation, but it's twice the work.  Hollow out the balls with your finger, fill with 1/12 of the stuffing and reform ball.
   
5. Poach the matzoh balls in boiling water (I prefer unsalted water, as I find the Manischewitz mix to be a little salty) for about 20 minutes in a covered stock pot.  Water should be boiling, but not so vigorously that it demolishes the matzoh balls.  Matzoh balls will come to the surface, then sink again.  When that happens, they're done.
   
6. Remove matzoh balls with slotted spoon.  Poached matzoh balls can be refrigerated for up to one day.

Just Before Serving

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1. If previously refrigerated, rewarm matzoh balls in a covered casserole dish either in the microwave or conventional oven.
   
2. Bring chicken stock to a rolling boil.  Add the carrot and celery if desired and boil about 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender.
   
3. Place 1 matzoh ball in each bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon or so of the minced green onion, ladle in the boiling chicken stock over the matzoh ball, and garnish with some minced parsley.

Creamy Salmon Spread

Difficulty:  EASY
Yield: 9 1/3 cup servings – Keeps in refrigerator for 1 week

Nutrition Information
Calories: 138
Protein 14g; Carbohydrates 1.7g;
Saturated Fat 4g; Monosaturated Fat 3.7g

About This Recipe

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Loaded with protein, nutrients, antioxidants, and flavor, this easy to prepare recipe is great made into a sandwich with lettuce and tomato or served as a paté with rye or multigrain crostini.  However you like it, salmon is rich in calcium, niacin, phosphorous, selenium, and vitamins B6 and B12.

Ingredients

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• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Light Cream Cheese (Neufchatel), softened
• ¼ C. Nonfat Greek Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Prepared Horseradish
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1 Small Red Onion (finely diced)
• ½ of a 1 oz. package FRESH dill weed, finely minced
• 1 Lb. Leftover Grilled salmon or one 14-¾ oz. can Pink Salmon—drained, picked through, bones and skin discarded. If using canned salmon, DO NOT RINSE.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve chilled.

This recipe also works well with an equivalent amount of water-packed solid white albacore tuna.

Did you know?

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At 12 grams per half cup, Greek yogurt has double the protein of conventional yogurt.

Horseradish is a rich source of Glucosinolates. A study from the University of Illinois shows that horseradish has substantial quantities of glucosinolates, compounds that have been shown to increase human resistance to cancer. "Glucosinolates increase the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogens and they may actually suppress the growth of existing cancerous tumors," said Mosbah Kushad, U of I associate professor of foodcrop systems. "And our analysis of various horseradish varieties shows they are a rich source of these compounds." Horseradish has approximately 10 times more glucosinolates than Broccoli, the next richest source.

Dill is high in substances known as monoterpenes, also shown to have anti-cancer activity. Monoterpenes activate an enzyme called gluthathione-S-tranferase. When these components come in contact with oxidized molecules which would harm our body they become attached to them and neutralize the damages, working particularly hard against certain carcinogens such as benzopyrenes found in cigarette, incinerator and grill smoke.